From DE 102 34 110 B4, a lighting appliance for vehicles is known, which has a flat light guide with a multitude of light sources arranged on its narrow light entrance section. These light sources with their main radiation directions are either arranged, in a distributed manner, directed in the light guiding direction of the flat light guide or transverse to this light guiding direction. In the light entry area, the flat light guide has a section for the coupling-in of light comprising on one hand a surface for the coupling-in of light and on the other hand a deflecting surface for the deflection of the coupled-in light toward an abutting main section of the light guide.
On the end of the main section opposing the section for the coupling-in of light, a section for the coupling-out of light with pillow-optic elements is arranged, from which the light is radiated according to a given light distribution. A disadvantage of the known lighting appliance is that the light sources must be arranged on PCBs oriented in different directions, requiring relatively large assembly cost and effort.
Therefore, the task of the present invention is the further development of a lighting appliance for vehicles with a flat light guide so that the light sources arranged in a light entry area of the flat light guide can be arranged in a common plane, wherein a given light function with a high degree of photometric effectiveness can be generated.